Governor Owens announces livestock feed assistance program

April 25, 2003

Governor Bill Owens announced a state program to assist drought-stricken ranchers in 37 counties. The program, administered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, will make available over 25 million pounds of surplus stock of nonfat dry milk, held by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that will be used in formulated feed products to be fed to cattle and other livestock.

"Colorado is in its fourth year of serious drought and the cumulative effects are felt daily by struggling ranchers throughout rural Colorado," Owens said. "This cooperative effort between state and federal agencies will provide immediate, tangible help."

Owens expressed his appreciation to USDA Secretary Ann Veneman. "Secretary Veneman has been responsive to the needs of our state's most distressed ranchers. I have expressed that gratitude to her directly today."

The program will distribute the milk product to producers by means of vouchers issued by the state Department of Agriculture. The vouchers will specify the amount of milk product to which the livestock producer is entitled. Ranchers will then either take delivery of the raw product or will "spend" their voucher with feed suppliers to have the milk mixed into a form that can be fed directly to cattle, sheep, goats or bison.

The 37 Colorado counties eligible under the program are: Alamosa, Archuleta, Baca, Bent, Chafee, Cheyenne, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Dolores, El Paso, Fremont, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Kit Carson, Kiowa, La Plata, Las Animas, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Otero, Ouray, Park, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, and Teller.

The nonfat dry milk being distributed to the ranchers is from surplus stocks of milk held by the USDA under the department's dairy price support program. The stocks are too old to be used for human consumption but remain quite suitable for livestock feed.

Horses, swine, and dairy or neutered livestock are not approved livestock under the program. More information along with the necessary registration forms is available on the Internet at www.ag.state.co.us or by phoning 303.239.4100. Forms will also be available at county USDA Farm Service Agency offices or the county Colorado State University Cooperative Extension offices.